Shaping health systems through strategy and economics: a global bibliometric exploration of policy pathways

The present study conducts an extensive bibliometric analysis in an attempt to map the knowledge structure at a global scale concerning strategic and economic approaches to health systems transformation. Over recent decades, health systems have faced increasing challenges from demographic changes and cost escalation, among other things, technological advancement and policy fragmentation. Thus, even more, scholars have become interested in the question of how strategic planning and economic efficiency guide provision of resilient health reforms and services. It navigates through the changes in scholarly conversation by taking a look at works published within 2000-2024 in Scopus and Web of Science. Using VOSviewer, we look at who writes papers together, which keywords appear side-by-side, and patterns of citations to spot the main ideas, influential writers, and leading places in this area. The findings show a move away from lone economic efficiency models towards combined policy structures that deal with sustainability, digital change, and widespread health coverage. We focus on the link between plan-making at a high level and money limits in rich nations as well as poorer and middle-income countries. The study also shows new groups forming around digital health management, paying for health care services, and making policy based on good information. This paper helps the discussion between academics and policymakers by giving a world look at how health systems are made through a two-way view of plan and money. The results help create more clear, fact-based, and flexible health policies to meet changing social needs and major health crises. Suggestions for future research paths and teamwork across fields are also talked about.